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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

BUREAU OF FISHERIES 

Economic Circular No. 23 : : : : : : : : : Issued March 8, 1917 



THE SABLEFISH, ALIAS BLACK COD.* 

An Introduction to One of the Best and Richest of American Food 
Fishes, With Recipes for Cooking It. 



To gain entrance to the best society a new fish, like a new neigh- 
bor, must be vouched for and properly introduced. Cod, mackerel, 
salmon, and a few other members of old and respected fish families 
of Europe, which came to the shore of America even before the 
Pilgrim Fathers, were at once recognized and accepted by the May- 
flower immigrants and their successors, and there was established 
from among them a veritable " codfish aristocracy " of the markets. 
From time to time other fish have been added to the elite, but their 




I number is still far short of the " four hundred," which probably 
I could be included if our available aquatic food supplies were fully 

■ utilized. 

Within a few years, however, the democracy of high prices has 

■ upset the old exclusiveness and has given to previously unknown or 
I obscure fishes an opportunity to be pushed to the fore and to demon- 
8 strate that they are entitled to regard, at least equal to that accorded 

■ to those of longer standing in the community. The tilefish has 

a By H. F. Moore, Deputy Commissioner, Bureau of Fisheries. 
81648° — 17 
I / 



Ponograph. 



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2 .\Al(* 

established an assured position, and the gray fish is living down the 
reputation which it acquired as a pirate and is acquiring respecta- 
bility as a fish whose acquaintance is worth cultivating. 

The Bureau of Fisheries now presents the sablefish, which, for no 
reason of its own making, has lived heretofore under the alias " black 
cod." It is not a cod, and is not related to the members of that 
family by lineage, structure, or edible qualities. When it was dis- 
covered on the Alaska coast in 1811 the only name which it bore was 
the barbarous one used by the Indians, and the early white settlers 
and explorers, with the unconventionality common in new communi- 
ties, gave it a nickname based on superficial appearances. So long 
as the fish was practically unutilized the misnomer was of little 
moment, but now that it is entering into commerce it becomes de- 
ceptive and not only runs the risk of being banned under the pure- 
food laws, but is actually misleading to the consumer, who may buy 
it under the impression that in its edible qualities it resembles 
the cod. 

The cod is dry-meated, while the sablefish is one of the richest and 
fattest of American fishes and is to be cooked differently. Its flesh 
is firm, white, and flaky, with a full, rich flavor, while the fats are 
almost gelatinous in their consistency. A high authority on dietetics 
in the department of home economics of the University of Wash- 
ington says that it "is excellent from an economic standpoint, as 
there is little waste, being almost free from bone and requiring 
very little time for cooking. It is suitable for the humblest home 
on account of its price and for the millionaire's table from its fine- 
ness of texture and delicious flavor." 

Until now its excellence has been known to but a few persons on 
the Pacific coast, but the time has come when, on account of its edible 
qualities and low price, it should be made known to all. It is found 
in the deep water off the coast from San Francisco to Alaska, and is 
particularly abundant from Oregon northward. It has been caught 
more or less freely by the halibut fishermen for many years, but has 
been regarded as a nuisance rather than at its true worth, because, 
with the characteristic American heedlessness of the value of natural 
resources, it has been neglected by the consumer and there has been 
no market for it. Millions of pounds have been returned to the sea 
annually, while the people who should have been using it have been 
clamoring for investigations into the reasons for the high cost of 
living. Here is one reason which requires no legislation for its 
correction. 

The sablefish as caught averages about 15 pounds in weight, al- 
though it grows much larger. On account of its firm texture it 
" ships " well and is therefore available fresh far from its home in the 
Pacific, and frozen (just as good) as far east as New York and New 

0. Of D. 
MAS tS 1917 






England. To obtain the frozen fish at its best the housewife should 
buy it still "in the frost" and thaw it in cold water immediately 
before using. 

"Barbecued" sablefish is one of the most delicious of sea foods. 
The fish is kippered or lightly pickled and smoked and in that con- 
dition, if kept cool and dry, will keep perfectly for 10 or 12 days. 
As the frozen fish may be thawed and then barbecued this product 
should soon be available everywhere. The fish is also excellent 
salted, and as it does not rust, although fat, there should be a broad 
market for it in that state to the mutual advantage of the fisherman 
and the consumer. 

The culinary experts whose recipes follow advise that the fish 
should not be allowed to stand unduly long in water, and that it be 
handled carefully in cooking, as the flaky character of the cooked 
flesh causes it to break apart readily. 

All fish meals should include green vegetables, and this is particu- 
larly important with rich, fat species like the sablefish. Miss Rausch 
suggests the following examples of inexpensive fish dinners : 

(1) (2) (3) 

Boiled sablefish, Fried sablefish, Baked sablefish, 

Boiled potatoes, Tomato sauce, Stewed tomatoes, 

Parsley sauce, Escalloped potatoes, Celery, 

Spinach, Cold slaw, Lettuce salad, 

Tomato salad, Apple pudding, Cranberry pudding, 

Baked apples, Coffee. Coffee. 
Coffee. 

SIMPLE RECIPES. 

1. Sablefish 7iash. a — One cup cold, cooked fish chopped with 1 cup cold, cooked 
potato. Season with salt and pepper. Fry in salt pork or bacon drippings, 
or in butter. 

2. Fried sablefish. 1 * — Slice fish 1 inch thick ; roll in cracker meal. Fry in 
butter or lard until well done. Very nice served with Saratoga chips and 
sliced lemon. 

3. Fried sablefish. - — Wipe dry, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dip in flour 
or corn meal. Fry in hot fat (either butter or good drippings .of salt pork) 
being sure that the fat is very hot before putting in the fish. For broiling 
or frying do not cut slices thinner than 1 inch as they will break when turned. 
Use a pancake turner to turn slices. 

4. Broiled sablefish. a — Wipe dry, season well, place under gas broiler with 
oven door open. Do not cook too near heat as this causes it to become tough. 
Pour off the fat as it fries out. When one side is browned, turn and cover the 
unbrowned side with coarse bread crumbs. Cook until a golden brown. 

5. Boiled or steamed sablefish? — Four pounds of fresh fish. Rub with salt 
and wash in fresh water. Place on fire one-half gallon of water with 2 onions, 
4 cloves, 2 bay leaves, one-half cup of vinegar, and tablespoonful of dry salt. 

a Contributed by Miss Mary F. Rausch, department of home economics, University of 
Washington, Seattle, Wash. 

6 Contributed by J. C. Grant, chef, Arctic Club, Seattle, Wash. 



X 



Let it come to boil then drop fish in. Boil 20 minutes. Serve with cream 
sauce, two hard boiled eggs, minced, and a little chopped parsley. 

6. Steamed sable fish. a — Wipe dry slices of fish and season well with salt, 
pepper, and a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice. Put on a pie tin, cover 
with a loose clean cloth, and steam for about 12 minutes. Serve with sauce 
Seattle made as follows: Take a small piece of the raw fish; put it in a 
saucepan with one-fourth cup sliced carrot, 1 slice of onion, bay leaf, parsley, 
salt and pepper. Cover with cold water and cook 30 minutes. Drain and add 
to 1 tablespoonful of melted butter cooked with 1 tablespoonful of flour. Cook 
2 minutes and add 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of cream. 

7. Boiled sableftsh. a — To 1 quart hot water (not boiling), add 1 tablespoonful 
of vinegar, 1 teaspoonful of salt, and 1 slice of onion. Into this place the fish 
tied in a cloth; do not cook too long. It is difficult to give the time for cooking 
as fish vary greatly ; try it with a knife, and if the flesh leaves the bone easily 
it is done. A slice 1 inch thick should take 12 minutes. Drain and serve with 
egg sauce. 

Egg sauce : Melt 2 tablespoonsfuls of butter, add 2 tablespoonsfuls of flour, 
one-half teaspoonful of salt, and a shake of pepper. Cook 1 minute, add 1 cup 
boiling water, 1 teaspoonful of parsley, 1 teaspoonful of lemon juice, and. 1 
hard-boiled egg chopped very fine. 

8. Baked sablefish? — Two pounds of fish cut into slices 1 inch thick. Place 
in well-buttered pan with 1 minced onion and 1 cup of water, sprinkle top with 
cracker meal, a little salt and paprika. Bake in covered pan 15 minutes, remove 
cover and brown well. 

9. Baked sablefish. a — Put fish in baking pan with salt, pepper, and enough 
water to cover bottom of pan, adding a few drops of vinegar. Serve with 
stuffing and tomato sauce. 

Stuffing ; Take 1 loaf of baker's bread, pour one-half cup boiling water over it, 
squeeze dry, add 1 tablespoonful chopped sage, 1 teaspoonful chopped onion, salt 
and pepper to taste, 1 tablespoonful butter, and a little grated lemon rind. 
Bake in shallow pan until brown. Cut in squares and serve hot. 

10. Sablefish Port Townsend style. - — Cover a slice of fish with milk, adding 
salt, pepper, 1 slice of onion, and sprig of parsley ; then bake. 

11. Baked sablefisli in green peppers.® — Flake the cooked fish and mix it with 
equal amount of bread crumbs. If not moist enough, add little milk or water. 
Add onion juice, parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Cut tops off 
green peppers, fill with mixture, cover with buttered crumbs, and bake 30 
minutes. 

12. Sable fish and tomatoes. a — One pound of fish in one piece. Put in deep 
pan, cover with 1 pint of canned or fresh tomatoes, teaspoonful of salt, 1 bay 
leaf, 1 clove, 1 minced green pepper, 1 onion, and a little paprika. Bake in a 
hot oven 20 minutes. 

13. Sablefish au gratin. a — Boil 1 pound of fish and let cool. Pick apart into 
flakes, place in buttered pan, add 1 pint of cream sauce, season well with salt, 
pepper, and paprika, sprinkle on top with bread crumbs, little butter to brown. 
Serve with sliced lemon. 

14. Broiled sable fish with parsley butter. a — One slice or cutlet of fish, butter 
well on both sides, place on broiling irons until well done. Mince 6 sprigs of 
parsley and juice of 1 lemon in one-half cup of warm butter. Pour over fish 
find serve with potato croquettes. 

a Contributed by Miss Mary F. Rausch, department of home economics, University of 
Washington, Seattle, Wash. 

6 Contributed by J. C. Grant, chef, Arctic Club, Seattle, Wash. 



15. Sablefish with steamed potato. — One-half pound well-carved fish. (Al- 
ways pick out the thick pieces when buying.) Place fish in steamer with 3 
small potatoes and cook for 25 minutes. Serve with drawn butter and lemon. 

16. Sablefish luncheon rolls. 1 — Make a white sauce, adding chopped parsley 
and a few drops of lemon juice and 1 hard-boiled chopped egg if desired. Cut 
off the top of fresh rolls and remove crumbs. Brush rolls with melted butter 
and brown in oven. Fill with creamed fish and serve very hot. 

17. Fillet of sablefish tartar sauce. a — Three pounds fish, run knife along back- 
bone, divide fish in half, then slice one-sixth of an inch thick in shape of small 
fillets. Roll in flour, then in egg and milk, cover in cracker meal, and fry in 
butter until well done. Serve with tarter sauce. 

18. Fish cakes — Excellent made with sablefish. 1 * — Chop fine 1 onion and fry 
it in 2 tablespoonsfuls of butter. When tender add 1 tablespoonful of flour. 
Chop very fine some cold, boiled sablefish, add above mixture and a pinch of 
nutmeg, and stir until it seems thick. A very little water or broth may be 
added. Cook about 5 minutes, remove from fire, add 2 beaten egg yolks, and 
cool for 2 or 3 minutes. Make into flat cakes and fry like potato cakes in 
very best drippings. 

19. Sablefish supper dish. 1 * — Fried sablefish left from dinner and cold, boiled 
potatoes. Put layer of each in baking dish ; cover with white sauce ; repeat ; 
put buttered bread crumbs on top and bake until brown. 

20. Sablefish Huntingdon. 1 * — Chop fine cold boiled fish, add 2 tablespoonsfuls 
butter (to about 2 cups of fish), 1 teaspoonful of salt, 1 teaspoonful of parsley, 
2 cups of milk, slice of onion, and 1 cup of fine bread crumbs. Stew for about 
15 minutes, or until smooth ; arrange stiff-mashed potato on a pan ; make a 
wall; fill center with fish and bake until brown. 

21. Sablefish a la Creole. 1 — Cook 1 finely chopped green pepper in enough 
butter to keep from burning; add 1 chopped onion, one-half can tomatoes. 
Cook 10 minutes, or until tender ; remove from stove, add 1 cup milk, 2 cups 
cold boiled fish, and reheat but do not boil. Season well. 

22. Kippered sablefish. 1 * — Kippered sablefish is delicious flaked and served 
cold on toast or in a sandwich, or steamed, or rather heated in a steamer and 
served with boiled potatoes and butter or parsley sauce. It can be heated 
in oven, but is better if heated over boiling water. 

23. Kippered sablefish. 1 * — Take 2 cups boiled rice and add 1 chopped onion, 
salt, and pepper. Add 2 cups of kippered fish. Mix soft and heat but do 
not use any moisture. 

MORE ELABORATE RECIPES. 

24. Broiled sablefish maitre d'hotel.® — Cut fish into half-pound steaks, dip- 
ping it into sweet butter or cooking oil before placing on broiling irons. When 
well done, remove and place on hot platter. To keep fish light and fluffy, 
cover with hot platter, for when exposed to open air it becomes soggy and flat. 

Maitre d'hotel : Melt 3 ounces of good butter, add 1 tablespoonful of chopped 
parsley, a little nutmeg, and juice of 1 lemon. Pour over fish just before serv- 
ing. 

25. Stuffed sablefish® — Four pounds of fish. Take 2 bunches of celery 
chopped fine, one-half pound crab meat, 2 pounds bread flakes, 4 eggs, half a 
small onion. Season well with salt, pepper, and a little savory. Bake 1 

a Contributed by J. C. Grant, chef, Arctic Club, Seattle, Wash. 

b Contributed by Miss Mary F. Kausch, department of home economics, University of 
Washington, Seattle, Wash. 



V 



hour in moderate oven. Serve with fish sauce of one-half pint Madeira wine. 
1 pint of espagnole sauce, 1 gill of mushroom catsup, a little lemon juice, and 
cayenne popper to taste. 

26. Meli Melo Seattle. — Two small squares of sablefish, 6 prongs Dungeness 
crab. 4 craw fish, 6 little-neck clams, 1 dozen shrimp. Saut6 1 small shallot 
and 1 or 2 green peppers, cut in small pieces about one-fourth of an inch, in 
good butter to a golden brown. Add 1 glass of sherry wine, 1 glass of heavy 
cream, so as to cover" the whole. Place all together in a saucepan ; let simmer 
for about 5 to 8 minutes; finish with a lump of good sweet butter. 

27. Flakes of sablefish au gratin. a — Two pounds of sablefish steamed until 
well done. Remove and shred it. Place in small ramekins. Take 3 ounces 
sweet butter, 1 pint double cream, 1 finely chopped shallot, salt and pepper; 
let simmer to half the amount. Add 2 ounces of white wine and juice of 1 
lemon. Pour over fish, dust with bread crumbs, and place in au gratin oven 
5 minutes. Serve with strips of toast or cheese sticks. 

28. Baked sablefish a la Creole. 0, — Cut into cutlets of 1 inch thick; place in 
well-buttered pan ; glaze cutlets with 1 egg, one-half cup pure cream, salt, and 
pepper, well beaten. Stripe each piece with bacon and sprinkle with bread 
crumbs ; add enough tomato bouillon to keep moist while baking. Serve with 
Creole sauce of 1 pint tomato sauce, 2 chopped sweet peppers, 3 minced fried 
shallots, one-half glass Madeira wine. 

29. Fillet of sablefish, anchovy butter. ,° — Take fillet nicely trimmed; roll in 
flour and fry well done in butter ; keep well covered when frying ; spread with 
anchovy butter and bread crumbs ; put in hot au gratin oven for 3 minutes or 
until nicely browned. Serve with lemon and potato quenelles. 

30. Steamed fillet of sablefish, hollandaise. a — Cut and trim small fillet; wrap 
1 large oyster well seasoned with salt and lemon juice ; fasten with skewer ; 
place in steamer 20 minutes. Serve on hot plate with a rich hollandaise sauce 
made of 1 cup of sweet butter, one-half cup lemon juice, 1 cup of chicken 
stock, a little salt and cayenne pepper. Boil and pour into a liaison of egg 
yolks until thick as mayonnaise. 

31. Boiled sablefish, puree of shrimp. a — Cut into steaks of 1 pound each; 
place in saucepan of boiling water to which you have added 2 bay leaves, 2 
peppercorns, 1 small onion, one-half cup of white wine, and salt. Serve with 
puree of shrimp, using 4 ounces shrimp, 2 ounces of sweet butter, one-half 
ounce sherry wine. Let simmer 5 minutes ; add 1 pint double cream. Simmer 
until reduced to half the amount. Serve hot. 

32. Sablefish planked (Arctic Club). h — Six pounds of fish stuffed with small 
oysters and bread crumbs well seasoned ; place in pan and bake 1 hour in 
moderate oven ; keep well moistened with white wine, Madeira wine, and broth 
of chicken or veal. When well done, remove and place on plank, with border 
of duchesse potatoes. Return to oven until potatoes are a golden brown. 
Place on each side 3 stuffed sweet peppers, 3 stuffed tomatoes, and 3 artichoke 
bottoms. Cover the top of fish with rings of French-fried onion and a bouquet 
of asparagus tips striped with pimentos on head of fish. 

33. Sablefish saute" a la bordelaise. — Split fish into halves; put in stewpan 
with a little butter, 5 kernels garlic, 3 peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, and salt and 
cayenne pepper, with 1 glass claret and 1 of white wine. Put on stove, 
well covered. Simmer for 20 minutes. Just before removing from stove add 
1 glass of espagnole or tomato sauce. Place on platter with a border of fish 
croquettes. 

6 Contributed by J. C. Grant, chef, Arctic Club, Seattle, Wash. 

WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 19l7 



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